Lifted from the recent Anjunabeats Volume 8 compilation, 'Altara' sees Adam Nickey back doing what he does best. Building off the back of an arctic, windswept break, this powerful yet moving trancer has all the energy and dashes of melodic excellence that we have come to expect from one of Poland's finest.

Tracks such as 'Misgrey' and the more recent 'Vanesse' have seen Sunny Lax's sound undergo something of a renaissance since his earlier outings on the label, and he behind the desk for the remix. As expected given his recent forays into more progressive realms, it's a peaks-and-troughs rework that captures the original melody and whisks it off along a deep and winding journey.

On the B-side we have 'Voices', a gorgeously melodic number which with its ghostly break, soothing strings and delightful keys offers something a little more reflective than its predecessor

Voices is quite nice and may be a surprise purchase, in fairness to the ailing Nickey (really not been fussed on his stuff since Shift, although Moon Dust is an exception)! However, why are the YouTube contingent suggesting Nickey's nicked The Blizzard's sound? Which track be that, Blizzard fans?

Edited by Mike v2.0, 17 August 2010 - 01:15 PM.

Oh, squiggly line in my eye fluid, I see you there, lurking on the periphery of my vision. But when I try to look at you, you scurry away; are you shy, squiggly line? Why only when I ignore you do you return to the centre of my eye?

Do you honestly think Anjuna are the ones in charge of what producers... produce?

Eh? Of course they are! Not only do Anjuna's A&R team choose what to sign, they also heavily influence how tracks sound. They are the bosses and the direction the label goes is their responsibility and prerogative.

The Sunny Lax remix is decent but, ultimately, pointless. It's simply a rearrangement of the original minus the track's defining bassline.

Oh, squiggly line in my eye fluid, I see you there, lurking on the periphery of my vision. But when I try to look at you, you scurry away; are you shy, squiggly line? Why only when I ignore you do you return to the centre of my eye?

It's not the A&R's responsibility to decide what the track is going to sound like. It's a producer's choice. If I want it to have an uplifting melody, then it will bloody have a uplifting melody. The A&R's can definitely step in and make some improvements, but they don't have the time to improve it so much that it, in the end, would be something completely different.

You can't make a carrot taste like orange. A carrot is 'born' to be, and taste like, a carrot.

It's not the A&R's responsibility to decide what the track is going to sound like. It's a producer's choice. If I want it to have an uplifting melody, then it will bloody have a uplifting melody. The A&R's can definitely step in and make some improvements, but they don't have the time to improve it so much that it, in the end, would be something completely different.

You can't make a carrot taste like orange. A carrot is 'born' to be, and taste like, a carrot.

Sigh.

It doesn't matter what producers come up with, Anjuna can sign what they like, 'uplifting' or otherwise. They are not in charge of the producers but they are in charge of which producers they choose for their label.

Oh, squiggly line in my eye fluid, I see you there, lurking on the periphery of my vision. But when I try to look at you, you scurry away; are you shy, squiggly line? Why only when I ignore you do you return to the centre of my eye?

It doesn't matter what producers come up with, Anjuna can sign what they like, 'uplifting' or otherwise. They are not in charge of the producers but they are in charge of which producers they choose for their label.

Do you honestly think Anjuna are the ones in charge of what producers... produce? If everyone did uplifting trance, then they wouldn't have much choice but to sign uplifting trance.

Isn't it A&B who give the final green light? I remember listening to an interview by Armin on ASOT with Jono and he did say that all 3 go through the tracks sometime during the week.I don't know why you said "If everyone did uplifting Trance".What I was trying to say is that, why is Anjuna signing records which sound like ATB- Night Watch or Slider etc etc?

I doubt they have run out of melodies, it's almost as if Anjuna is desperate to sign these sort of records. If I was in their position I would immediately reject these kinds of uncreative productions.

Voices isn't bad, but people who said it sounds like the blizzard I believe it was Emphased Reality - Feat OPN - Other Worlds (Original Mix) on Enhanced which used that sort of sound first. It was released on 12 June 2006 and the Blizzard released their first production in 2007.

It's not the A&R's responsibility to decide what the track is going to sound like. It's a producer's choice. If I want it to have an uplifting melody, then it will bloody have a uplifting melody. The A&R's can definitely step in and make some improvements, but they don't have the time to improve it so much that it, in the end, would be something completely different.

Err.. actually A&R's do have a big say in what the final product is going to sound like, especially in a label which carries a "unique" sound per se. I could point out a few tracks that have been completely different from the demo stage to the final release, but....I rather not!

It's not the A&R's responsibility to decide what the track is going to sound like. It's a producer's choice. If I want it to have an uplifting melody, then it will bloody have a uplifting melody. The A&R's can definitely step in and make some improvements, but they don't have the time to improve it so much that it, in the end, would be something completely different.

You can't make a carrot taste like orange. A carrot is 'born' to be, and taste like, a carrot.

Have to disagree there... Case in point: 8 Wonders - Sex on the Beach. A&R had a very big say in the way that turned out compared to the demo (with a regressive result, in my opinion).